HOUSTON -- After the understaffed Mavericks put up a strong fight against the Rockets, Houston legend Hakeem Olajuwon came past the visitors' locker room at Toyota Center.

He dispensed with well-wishes and went straight to the core.

"Why doesn't that team have a better record?" he asked about the Mavericks. "They play really hard. If they play that way all the time, no way they have that record."

Indeed, the compete level, which has been mostly rock solid in the past couple months, was there again Sunday as the Mavericks went to battle without many of their heavy lifters, but still pushed the red-hot Rockets to the end, finally losing 104-97.

The Mavericks tested the Rockets, who have won eight in a row and are widely believed to be the only Western Conference team with a shot at besting the Golden State Warriors in the playoffs.

It was a five-point game with under three minutes to go in the third quarter.

Olajuwon's anlaysis can be a source of pride for how hard the Mavericks are playing these days.

However ...

"Unfortunately, we have the record we have because we haven't played hard all season," Harrison Barnes said. "Now we've been doing it more consistently for some stretches. Now it's just a matter of getting more experience and executing down the stretch."

The Mavericks got double-doubles from Dwight Powell and Dennis Smith Jr., who continues to impress with a season-best 11 assists to go along with 16 points.

Considering the Mavericks didn't have Dirk Nowitzki, Wesley Matthews or J.J. Barea, it was a strong night for many of the players who sometimes don't get a lot of opportunities.

"I loved everything about it," coach Rick Carlisle said. "The compete level was excellent. I loved Smith's game. The balance between scoring and playmaking was excellent. And it's a lot to ask to come in here and win the game. But to compete the whole way, hang around and make them play the whole game was good. I thought our guys got better tonight."

Among them were Jalen Jones, who had 10 rebounds and eight points, and Kyle Collinsworth, who had eight boards to go with six points.

Cowlishaw's mailbag: How much better would this Mavs team be right now if Seth Curry was playing?

"They're some hungry guys who got an opportunity," Carlisle said.

Nine brave men: Not only did the Mavericks leave six players in Dallas for this game, Salah Mejri had a stiff neck before the game and was held out.

"I don't know the exact story as to how it happened," Carlisle said. "Something about laying down [Sunday] afternoon."

That meant the Mavericks were down to nine healthy players, one of whom was Houston native Johnathan Motley, who did not play until late in the fourth quarter.

Motley, by the way, said he had to get 10 tickets for family and friends who did not already have plans to go to the game.

Photo op: The Mavericks have half of the four NBA players that Ames (Iowa) High School has produced on their roster in Harrison Barnes and Doug McDermott.

The other two are Fred Hoiberg, who now coaches the Chicago Bulls, and Dick Gibbs, who played for several teams in the '70s.

Carlisle said the Mavericks are hoping to pull off a reunion of sorts in Chicago when the Mavericks play there in early March.

"We're going to try to get Dick Gibbs to come to Chicago and get a picture of Dick Gibbs, Hoiberg, Barnes and McDermott together," Carlisle said. "I've been to Ames the last couple years for Harrison's camp, and they have pictures of the four guys from Ames High School that had NBA careers.

"You've got to give a lot of love to the Ames guys."

Rich get richer: The Rockets are expected to make it official Monday with the signings of Joe Johnson and Brandan Wright, the former Maverick who was waived by Memphis.

Carlisle said those moves should only make the Western Conference playoffs more interesting.

"He's a premier finisher on rolls," Carlisle said of Wright, whom he coached for three and a half seasons in Dallas. "He's been a little banged up the last couple years, but when he's been healthy, he's still elevating and getting up there with great hands. It's just another weapon. I think signing him and Johnson is two really potent signings at this time of year. Houston's loading up, and they're right there. It's an exciting time for them."